小説を読みながら、語彙を増やしましょう。
夏目漱石の小説『坊っちゃん』の原文と毛利八十太郎が英訳した “Botchan (Master Darling)” を併せて見ていきます。
【あらすじ】
腹が立った勢いで、何をどう言うか考えないままに自分の意見を述べ始めてしまった主人公は、案の定しどろもどろになって他の職員に笑われます。
●----------------------------------------------------------
Having figured it out in this wise, I thought I would state my own views on the matter, but I wanted to give them an eloquent speech and fairly take away their breath. I have an affection of the windpipe which clog after two or three words when I am excited. Badger and Red Shirt are below my standing in their personality, but they were skilled in speech-making, and it would not do to have them see my awkwardness. I'll make a rough note of composition first, I thought, and started mentally making a sentence, when, to my surprise, Clown stood up suddenly. It was unusual for Clown to state his opinion. He spoke in his flippant tone:
"Really the grasshopper incident and the whoop-la affair are peculiar happenings which are enough to make us doubt our own future. We teachers at this time must strive to clear the atmosphere of the school. And what the principal and the head teacher have said just now are fit and proper. I entirely agree with their opinions. I wish the punishment be moderate."
In what Clown had said there were words but no meaning. It was a juxtaposition of high-flown words making no sense. All that I understood was the words, "I entirely agree with their opinions."
Clown's meaning was not clear to me, but as I was thoroughly angered, I rose without completing my rough note.
"I am entirely opposed to......." I said, but the rest did not come at once. ".......I don't like such a topsy-turvy settlement," I added and the fellows began laughing. "The students are absolutely wrong from the beginning. It would set a bad precedent if we don't make them apologize ....... What do we care if we kick them all out ....... darn the kids trying to guy a new comer......." and I sat down. Then the teacher of natural history who sat on my right whined a weak opinion, saying "The students may be wrong, but if we punish them too severely, they may start a reaction and would make it rather bad. I am for the moderate side, as the head teacher suggested." The teacher of Confucius on my left expressed his agreement with the moderate side, and so did the teacher of history endorse the views of the head teacher. Dash those weak-knees! Most of them belonged to the coterie of Red Shirt. It would make a dandy school if such fellows run it. I had decided in my mind that it must be either the students apologize to me or I resign, and if the opinion of Red Shirt prevailed, I had determined to return home and pack up. I had no ability of out-talking such fellows, or even if I had, I was in no humor to keeping their company for long. Since I don't expect to remain in the school, the devil may take care of the rest. If I said anything, they would only laugh; so I shut my mouth tight.
eloquent 雄弁の、能弁な
take someone's breath away はっとさせる
affection 性向、気質
windpipe 気管
flippant 軽薄な、軽々しい
whoop-la 大騒ぎ、騒動、どんちゃん騒ぎ
juxtaposition 並べること
topsy-turvy さかさまの、逆の、めちゃくちゃの
Dash ...! (Damnの言い換え)いまいましい…め! ちきしょう、…め!
weak-knee いくじなし、弱虫
coterie 仲間
夏目漱石による原文は
こちら。
*** 慣用句を覚えよう ***
Ass(尻)-3
(アメリカ英語では日常的に見かけますが、ご存知の通り下品な言葉ですので、実際に使用する時には注意が必要です。)
not know [can't tell] one's ass from one's elbow [a hole in the ground]
なんにもわかっちゃいない、まるで無知(無能)だ
on someone's ass
人をいじめて(苦しめて、追いかけて)
off someone's ass
人をいじめる(苦しめる)のをやめて
on one's ass
おちぶれて、困って、追い出されて、しょげて、酔いつぶれて
out on one's ass
追い出されて、のけ者にされて、すっかりおちぶれて
pull ... out of one's ass
ふっと思いつく、…がひらめく
someone's ass is on the line
危険に身を置いている、危険な責任を負っている
Someone's ass is dragging.
疲れきっている、のたのたしている、しょぼくれている
Someone's ass is grass.
まずいことになる、ひどい目にあう
【参考】
▽
青空文庫